A long-standing mystery in Moab has finally been solved.
Authorities confirmed that a body buried under the name “John Doe” is actually that of Robby Lynn Peay, a 17-year-old from Provo who disappeared in 1982.
Peay ran away from a youth treatment center on Oct. 7, 1982. His truck turned up abandoned, but he was never found…until now.
Just four months after Peay ran away, a boy was found murdered in the Three Gossips area of Arches National Park. While the physical characteristics matched Peay, investigators couldn’t make a positive identification due to decomposition and dental record discrepancies.
A breakthrough came in 2018 when a Provo police officer reviewing cold cases revisited Peay’s file. Further investigation revealed that the original dental records had been entered incorrectly. When corrected, they strongly suggested a match to Moab’s unidentified remains.
The final confirmation came through DNA testing after detectives tracked down a maternal uncle for a familial comparison.
Authorities recently announced that forensic evidence has officially linked Peay to the John Doe buried in Moab, providing long-awaited answers to a case that had remained unsolved for more than 40 years.
Provo Police Sgt. Nick Patterson told KSL that solving cold cases is challenging but deeply rewarding: “The moment you uncover that long-awaited lead makes all the effort worthwhile.”
Police continue to investigate the circumstances of Peay’s death.
Appreciate the coverage? Help keep local news alive.
Chip in to support the Moab Sun News.